Birds of a feather
by TrinityStarFire
Summary: Jin Haruna is an average civilian woman living in Konoha. Coming to a young Naruto's rescue, they soon become quick friends. follow Jin on her adventures with Naruto and the other Shinobi of the leaf. (OC/Kakashi flirting later on)
1. Chapter 1

It was another normal day at work, nothing unusual. Thankfully the day was over, and Jin wanted nothing more than to pick up some dinner, get home, kick her feet up and relax. She worked as a secretary's assistant at the hokage tower, and while she was satisfied with her job, chunks of her day were spent going up and down stairs, walking back and forth through long corridors, and scurrying around the village running errands. Jin could only count the minutes until she would be home, with her body and aching feet soaking in a warm Melon scented bath. The gloomy cool drizzling weather simply called for it! "All in due time, but first dinner, then home…maybe some hot tea might make this journey more bearable" she reassured herself after spotting a tea house. She entered, the opening of the door causing a small wind chime to softly tinkle, getting the attention of the shop keeper.

"Hello dear! What will we be having today?" the middle age woman asked from behind the counter

"Can I have a small chai tea to go please? Jin asked

"Of course young lady, right away" the shop keeper replied.

Jin stared out the window at the drizzle, slowly but surely becoming a steady rain fall. The clouds in the sky casted dark shadows over the village, making the streets dark, giving the illusion that it was later than it actually was. Darkness would fall soon, and although Jin was not afraid of the dark, or walking home alone, after the day she had, she was hoping she'd make it home before night set in, and the rain picked up. Her attention was drawn back to the shop keeper placing a lid on her cup. Jin placed the money on the counter with a kind smile. "Now be careful not to burn yourself dear, and come again soon!" the woman said enthusiastically. "Of course, thanks again!"

Stepping out of the shop on to the street, a cool breeze blew, feeling like it pierced through Jin's fall jacket. The thought of her small apartment never seemed more welcoming than at moments like this! Sipping her tea she continued to make her way through the streets. There weren't many people around, everyone seemed to have found themselves in one of the many shops waiting for the steady drizzle to pass, or busily making their way through the streets to get to wherever their destination might be, just like Jin.

Maybe it was her busy walking, or the wind in her ears, or the distraction from the delicious hot chai tea, whatever it was, she didn't pick up on the sound of tiny feet splashing through puddles, coming from her right. Before she knew what was happening a small body slammed into her right thigh, the impact sending her precious cup of tea flying into the mud. Before she could yell at her would be assailant, a small body with a messy head of blond hair tumbled onto the ground in front of her, from his small hand a rice ball rolled into the mud, landing next to her now empty cup. She looked down at the small boy, with surprise written on her face. Locking eyes with his blue orbs, she noticed his heavy breathing, but more so the frightened expression on his round face. The pair's eye contact was broken by the sound of an angry voice rapidly approaching them. If the kid didn't catch Jin off guard, the large stampeding woman coming towards them definitely did!

"You little thief! You already know I don't want _you_ in my store! Yet you come in a steal!" the woman raged angrily at the child. The boy seemed scared out of his wits! Stammering to make a sentence the kid managed "I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't wanna steal but…" he was sharply cut off by the woman "I don't give a damn about your 'buts' stay the hell out of my store you pest!" she shouted. The boy hesitantly continued "I'm sorry!" he squeaked "I'm supposed to get some more money this week, I promise I'll pay you back!" the kid pleaded. "Next week's money isn't going to pay this week's bills you vermin! Just like a nasty little street rat, you come in, stink up my store, and take food that isn't yours. You have no money to pay?! I'll make you pay" shouted the evil woman, standing above the child while raising her hand. Was she serious? This woman had to be insane! Like one rice ball was really going to break her pockets. Before Jin knew it, she was standing between the kid and the woman, with the woman's wrist tightly gripped in her hand.

Jin wasn't some kind of hero, but she didn't like bullies

"Why don't we calm down lady?" Jin said, giving the woman's wrist a squeeze and taking a step towards her, causing the vile woman to take a couple steps back and snatch her wrist away.

"Why don't you mind your business girl? Unless you're going to pay for the mongrel" the woman sneered. Jin tilted her head to the side in frustration.

"…How much was it?" Jin asked through her teeth. Jin wasn't one to get angry easily often, but this woman was pushing her. The woman spat out her price, and Jin pulled some money out of her purse. The woman stood there with her hand held out waiting for the bills, Jin quickly slapped the money onto her palm not wanting to make contact with this vile woman's hand. "You got your money, now leave the kid alone" Jin stated standing protectively in front of the child creating a barrier between him and the woman. "Stay out of my store you piece of trash!" the woman yelled at the kid, then 'hmph-ed' and quickly as she could shuffled away. Good riddance awful woman! Jin exhaled sharply "now that that's over with…" she turned around and stared at the small form in front of her. A pair of long pants and just a shirt covered the boy, which were both now lightly covered in dirt. Luckily for him, he missed any major puddles that would have left him drenched and filthy.

Bringing her gaze back to his face she took in his features. Messy blond hair, blue eyes, and three odd markings on his cheeks. _Why does this kid look so familiar?_ Jin thought to herself. Squatting down in front of the boy she looked at him with a stern expression gracing her features. "Are you hurt?" The boy still on the ground, shook his head 'no' and stared at her with a confused expression on his tiny face. "Little boy, why are you stealing food? Are you homeless?" Jin asked him. Working at the Hokage tower she had knowledge of a lot of the services the village offered. While it was extremely rare, maybe even unfound of there being a homeless child in Konoha, if he were in fact homeless, Jin would probably be able to find a shelter for him to stay in for some time. The boy remained quiet, so Jin pressed, "well? Why are you stealing food? I'm waiting." Finally the boy spoke "I'm not homeless! …and…I only took the rice ball because I lost my money" he stated staring blankly at the floor. "Why didn't you ask you parents for more?" Jin asked. The boys eyes shot up to her face, an unreadable expression coming over his face. "I don't have any parents!" he yelled, then crossed his arms, and looked away pouting his lip. Jin was slightly surprised by his response, from what she could remember there were currently a handful of orphaned children in Konoha, and they were all wards of the Hokage. The Hokage provided housing for the orphans, and covered living expenses for them, money they would receive in the beginning of the month. It was the child's job to make sure the money lasted them. The cash was enough to cover their monthly expenses and then some, enough to even splurge a bit, but like the kid said, he was unfortunate enough to lose his.

Sighing Jin came to her resolution. The kid was hungry, and so was she. He didn't have any money and she did. _No way would I be able to enjoy dinner knowing this kid is hungry looking for food on the street_ she thought to herself, and so it was settled. "I'm guessing you must be hungry, otherwise you wouldn't have resorted to stealing. Alright kid, what's your name?" she asked.

"Me? I'm Naruto" he said staring up at her confused. "Well it's nice to meet you Naruto, I'm Jin" she stated, softening her expression and giving him a soft smile. "I was about to get myself dinner, would you like to join me?" Jin asked. "But I don't have any money" he told her with a depressed expression. Jin replied to him with a cheeky smile "Don't worry about that, it's on me" standing up from her squatting position, she held her hand out for him to take. Naruto slowly placed his hand in hers, then Jin pulled him up from the floor. "Really?" Naruto asked. "Yes, really. What do you feel like eating? Anything you like. I'm sure a crummy rice ball would not be your first choice if you had the option"

"Anything I want?" Naruto asked just to be sure

"aaanything you want. You might want to pick quick, the rain is starting to pick up" Jin smiled at him

"Can…can we have ramen?" he asked hesitantly

"Ramen? That actually sounds pretty good…especially with this gloomy weather. Ramen it is! Do you have a place in mind?" she asked

"Ichiraku's has the best ramen in the entire village! It's just down that way!" he said excitedly pointing in the direction Jin was headed.

"Ichiraku's? I've never been there before. Well there's a first for everything eh Naruto? Why don't you lead the way" she said with a smile. The boy's face lit up brighter than a Christmas tree, causing Jin to chuckle in amusement.

"Wow Jin-chan, you're awesome!" Naruto screamed, grabbing her hand and pulling her off in the direction he pointed out earlier.

Her long legs were easily able to keep up with Naruto's tiny ones. "You're gonna love it at Ichiraku's! The old man is really nice! He always smiles, and never yells at me, or makes me leave and Ayame-chan is really nice too! She's the old man's daughter. I can't wait till we get there! There's all kinds of ramen! Miso, vegetable, chicken, you name it! My favorite is the pork broth ramen with extra barbequed pork!" Jin smiled down at Naruto, his little hand still gripping hers as he pulled her along. _He sounds as if he's actually surprised at the shop keeper's kindness towards him…that's odd._ Jin thought to herself. Naruto continued to rant about his love for ramen, and explained to her that he lost his money when he put what was left of it in his pocket that happened to have a hole in it, as they continued their walk.

Coming around a corner, she spotted a white awning, with the characters spelling out "Ichiraku's Ramen Bar". "There it is!" Naruto yelled out excitedly. The two made it inside, where they were greeted by a man.

"Naruto! Back again I see! How have you been?" the man asked

"I've been good Teuchi-san!" Naruto said excitedly

"That's good to hear! I see you brought a friend" the man, Teuchi said, noticing Naruto still holding on to Jin's hand.

"Oh yeah! This is Jin-chan, she's treating me to ramen!" Naruto stated with a wide grin

Jin gave the man a kind smile and a small wave "Hello, I'm Jin Haruna. It's a pleasure to meet you"

"The pleasure is all mine! I am Teuchi Ichiraku. Please, have a seat anywhere you like, I'll get you a menu" Teuchi said

Naruto less than gracefully made his way on top of the tall stool, Jin took a seat next to him. The menu was placed in front of her and Jin began to look over the menu. "Everything sound so good! I don't know what to pick…" Jin pondered before Naruto interrupted her, "I already know what I'm going to get!" "Oh yeah? Let me guess, Pork broth ramen with extra Barbecued pork?" Naruto looked shocked "Hey! How did you know that?!" Naruto yelled pointing an accusing finger at her. This caused Jin to chuckle, lowering his finger gently with her hand she enlightened him "You spent the entire walk here talking about this place, and your favorite ramen, I figured that's what you'd get. That sounds pretty good, I think I'll get the same" Jin said, closing the menu and placing it in front of her.

Ichiraku returned, "Are you both ready to order?" he asked kindly

"Yes we are! I'm gonna have the pork broth ramen with extra barbequed pork, and Jin-chan's gonna have the same thing!" Naruto explained animatedly. "Coming right up!" was Ichiraku's reply.

"Hey, since you like ramen so much, maybe you can open up your own Ramen place when you get older! Then you could eat ramen whenever you wanted" Jin playfully suggested

"Whaaaat?! Nah, I can't do that! I'm gonna be a great ninja! One day I'm gonna be Hokage!" Naruto replied

"Oh really? So does that mean you're in the academy? You look about old enough"

"The academy? Ahhhh! Don't remind me about the academy! I got a stupid test on the clone jutsu tomorrow!" Naruto stated franticly rubbing his head with both hands as if trying to erase the thought of his dreaded test. Jin had to give it to him, this kid had quite a colorful personality. She found herself chuckling again, _I've been with this kid for maybe 30 minutes he's got me laughing more in this short amount of time than I have all day…_

"Naruto if you're going to be Hokage someday you're going to have to be good at ALL you justu, that includes the clone justu" Jin stated matter-of-factly

"I try, and try, and try, I practice a lot! But I can't get it!"

"New things can be hard to get the hang of at first. But if you try your hardest, and don't give up, eventually you'll get it, I know from experience" Jin told Naruto kindly with a smile.

"What do you mean from experience? Do you know the clone justu?! Can you teach me?" Naruto asked hopefully

"Ah, no. sorry Naruto" Jin apologized.

"Eh?! Why not!" he whined

"Well I'm not a ninja" Jin stated with a sheepish smile "I'm considered a civilian. I work at the Hokage's tower as an assistant to the main secretary. As for the experience I was talking about, well…learning anything new can be hard and frustrating at first. For me it was this new typing system we're trying to adopt to file information. At first I kept making mistakes, which caused me to turn in work late because I had to go back and fix all my errors, which got me in trouble with my boss. But eventually with enough practice, and asking friends for help and tips I finally got it. Now I can type faster than anyone in the office! Even with my eyes close" Jin stated with a proud smile "turns out my problem was I had my fingers in the wrong position on the key board. Maybe you can ask your friends or sensei for some advice. To point out what you're doing wrong?"

Throughout her little story, Naruto stared at her with wide eyes, listening to her boring little story like it was a great tale. But after giving him her advice he sat with his arms crossed staring intently in front of him before he replied "well…I guess I could ask Iruka sensei-But that's gonna have to wait! Ramen's here!" he exclaimed immediately forgetting his worries. Jin sighed with a smile _the kids got the right idea, no talk about work or school._ Picking up their chopsticks, they each put their hands together,

"Itadakimasu!" was followed by the sound of wooden chopsticks separating, then the slurping of noodles ended their conversation

Jin was halfway through her bowl when Naruto finished his.

"Wow kid that was quick!" _He must have been really hungry…_ " would you like another bowl?" Jin asked, and Naruto's face lit up once again "Really? Can I?" Naruto asked, Jin replied to him with a smile and a nod

"Ichiraku-san, another bowl for Naruto please" She stated politely. Naruto looked at her with the most comical emotional puppy face, like she was a hero wearing a cape and just saved him from a burning building, if you looked close enough it looked like the boy had tears on the brim of falling!

"Coming right up!" was heard from somewhere in the kitchen. Within no time, Naruto's second bowl was brought out, and the pair finished their meal. Jin took the left over broth in Naruto's bowl as a sign he'd had enough, but just to be sure "would you like another bowl Naruto" "no way! I'm so full, I think I might pop!" Jin again let out a chuckle. After eating the last bit of pork in her bowl, she opened her pocket book and placed the money for their meal on the counter. Teuchi came forward to bid them good night

"Thanks for the ramen Teuchi-san!" Naruto exclaimed "Thank you Ichiraku-san! Have a good night" Jin said kindly

"My pleasure! See you both next time" With that the pair exited the warm ramen bar.

 _Well shit. This is why I wanted to get home early_ Jin thought to herself. Within the time spent at the ramen bar, night had fallen, and the rain fell steadily. Looking down at Naruto, she saw him wrap his this arms around his body, the shirt he was wearing doing nothing to keep him warm or protect him from the rain. She sighed with her lack of options knowing exactly what she was about to do. She was not about to be warm in her jacket while a kid got soaked with rain and froze himself into sickness.

"Naruto come here" she ordered slipping off her jacket. Following her command Naruto stood in front of her, staring up at her while trembling from the cold. "Here, put this on" Jin said with a soft smile, placing the jacket around the boy, helping him get his arms into the sleeves, then buttoning it up. Naruto seemed surprised out of his wits.

"b-but Jin-chan… then you'll be c-cold!"

"I'll be fine" she placed her hand on his head "If you're going to be Hokage, you can't waste any time getting sick, correct? You need your health intact if you're gonna master that pesky clone jutsu!"

Naruto looked at her, then his lip began to tremble. He sharply looked down to hide the tears forming in his eyes "thank you…" _No one has ever been this nice to me…Don't cry Naruto!_ He thought to himself.

Blinking at his odd actions, Jin stayed silent for a moment

"No problem Naruto. Now let's get you home, I'll walk you" the two began walking

"You don't have to walk me if you don't want to Jin-chan" Naruto stated suddenly feeling like he was taking advantage of her

"Nonsense Naruto, I want to make sure you get home safe. Kids shouldn't be out this late by themselves" Jin stated as though it should be obvious to him

Suddenly a thought hit him "Get me home safe? But you're not a ninja! What could you do if something happened?!" Naruto mocked her with a wide grin

Catching her off guard Jin didn't know how to reply "what do you mean kid! I'm sure I can manage!" Jin dramatically defended herself "Ninja or not, as an adult, it's my duty to make sure little squirts like you are safe" she chided

Naruto suddenly had a huge grin on his face, he placed his hands behind his head and exclaimed "When I'm Hokage I'll protect everyone in the village! Including you Jin-chan! Then I'll have to walk you home to make sure you get home safe!"

"Well aren't you the little gentleman" she replied to which Naruto gave a bright grin

"We're almost at my place, it's just up that way and around the corner" he pointed to an intersection up ahead. _No way, that's the street my apartment is on_ Jin thought

"Naruto exactly what building do you live in?" Jin asked abruptly.

"hmm, how can I describe it… there are six floors…and all the apartment doors are painted green-" Naruto was cut off by Jin "and the door to the entrance is green with the Village symbol painted on the front in white? Building 1002?" Jin said in a rush, is she was right about it, then it answered why he seemed familiar when she first saw him today. The both turned the corner and started walking towards said building

"Yeah that's the one" Naruto answered without a second thought

"Naruto, I live there too! I knew you looked familiar! I remember now, you've ran past me a couple times on the steps!" Jin said with excitement, solving the little mystery of why he seemed so familiar

"No way! Really?! That's so awesome! I had no idea! That makes us neighbors! What floor do you live on?! I live on the fourth floor, on the third door from the steps" Naruto yelled unable to contain himself

"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise! And I live on the third floor, in the apartment right under yours, third door from the steps" the pair entered their building complex and began walking up the stairs. Suddenly Jin asked

"Naruto when are you supposed to get your money?"

"Um, on the first of the month. Which is 2 days away. If you want, I can pay you back as soon as I get it!" Naruto said desperately as though he were afraid she's be mad if he didn't give her back money

"What? No! Ahahaha Naruto! That's not why I'm asking. I told you, tonight was my treat, and I'm not expecting payment back for anything." She laughed, reaching her floor but continuing to Naruto's

"I was thinking, if you want, how about you come have breakfast with me in the morning? I can even make you a bento for lunch if you like. And I usually cook dinner every night. It can be a little routine until you get your money."

Naruto was speechless. This woman, who he met just a short time ago? Why was she going so far to help him? Why is she being so nice! No one is ever this nice to him. Staring at her with surprise written clearly on his face Naruto struggled to get words out but managed

"Jin-chan…why…why are you doing all this for me? No one…is ever this…nice to me"

"hm? Why am I doing this? Naruto, it's not hurting me in any way to help you. You're a little down on your luck right now, and I don't mind" Jin smiled warmly at him "it's the will of fire! Everyone in this village…we're like a family, we have to take care of each other. And I have no reason not to be nice to you…now I don't want you wracking your brain over it anymore." Naruto slightly stunned by her response lightly nodded his head. Jin motioned for him to open his door, which he complied with. Naruto stepped inside his apartment, and turned around to look at her. Staring down at him with that warm smile, Jin bent over slightly and placed her hand on top of his head giving his hair a little ruffle.

"Now, get some sleep. We need you well rested for your Clone justu test! I'll see you in the morning for breakfast?" Naruto could only not his head

"alrighty then" Jin turned around and began walking towards the steps

"Wait!" Naruto shouted. Jin stopped, turning to look at him, raising her eye brow as if to question him

"…Good night Jin-Chan! See you in the morning!" Jin grinned, "good night" she said sweetly, presuming her walk down the stairs. She waited at the bottom of the stairs until she heard Naruto's door close, and the sound of his lock turn.

Sighing, she mumbled to herself "Now, for that bath I promised my poor feet…"


	2. Chapter 2

Jin walked to her floor, entering her apartment. Sighing she locked the door behind her and slipped off her shoes, walking into the living room she threw her purse on the couch. _You know what…I'm too tired tonight for a bath, a quick shower will have to do…_ Jin thought to herself, making her way into her small bathroom. Stripping herself of her clothing she turned the hot water on waiting for it to heat up before jumping in. while she waited, she went and stood in front of her mirror, taking in her appearance. The rain had partially soaked through her hair, making strands cling to her face _thank goodness for water proof mascara_ she thought to herself, making herself chuckle. Her eyes drifted down to the scar on her shoulder, while her mind briefly drifted to the day she got it. The day the great demon fox attacked the village, the day Konoha the fourth Hokage and so many others, her mother included…The day Jin herself almost lost her life, being impaled by an Iron rod through the shoulder while falling rubble from above threatened to crush her to death, were it not for the Ninja who saved her and took her to safety. She was broken out of her thoughts by steam fogging up the mirror in front of her, obscuring the scar along with the rest of her image. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, she went to shower. Once that was done, she changed into her night clothes, checked that the door was locked once more then turned in for the night.

Jin awoke the following morning, the colors of the morning sunrise greeting her from outside her window. Early mornings like this in Konoha were so peaceful, the only ones up at this time were the chirping birds, whatever ninja who were assigned to guard duty, and the lone ninja dedicated enough to start training at the break of dawn. Glancing at her alarm clock, she noticed the time, 0600 hours. She woke up early enough to take her sweet time getting ready and enjoy breakfast.

 _Speaking of breakfast…_ she thought to herself, suddenly remembering the night before. She was having company joining her this morning, in the form of a pint size blond. Taking her time, she made her way out of bed, heading for the bathroom. After relieving herself on the pot, she made her way to the sink, taking in her appearance. Her eyes were puffy, nothing out of the usual. It sometimes happened when she ate salty foods, the lovely effect of water retention, but it was mostly due to her sleeping on her stomach, which cause fluid to collect and retain on her face giving her a hilariously dreadful morning look. Turning on the sink, she splashed some warm water on her face, then proceeded to brush her teeth. She ended her little morning routine with some face wash, brushing her hair out, then throwing it up in a messy bun at the back of her head.

She made her way to the kitchen putting up the kettle for tea. Leaning back on the counter waiting for the water to heat up, half her mind was thinking about what to make for breakfast and lunch, while the other half was recalling the events from the night before.

 _Naruto…such a funny kid_ she chuckled to herself _that old witch who went to hit him…she's having an issue with street rats eh? Maybe I'll have to put in a complaint to the health department. They find a violation, her and her rotten store will be shut down…_ Anyone one of Jin's friends would tell you she really was a great person; helpful, caring, would give the shirt off her back (or the jacket off her back, like she did with Naruto last night), BUT she was not one to cross. Especially when it came to an act of injustice. She wasn't a fighter in the physical sense, but she had her ways, and she could be merciless if pushed.

The sound of the kettles whistling brought her out of her thoughts. Sighing, she dropped a tea bag in a mug and poured the hot water over it then left it to brew. Going to the fridge she pulled some items out of the refrigerator then the pantry, placing them on her counter; rice, noodles, eggs, soy sauce, ginger, green onions, garlic, a few different vegetables, and some chicken among other things. Exhaling and clapping her hands together once she began cooking.

Half hour later, lunch for two was packed into two bento containers, and breakfast was almost ready when there was a steady knock on her door. She was confused for a second, but then remembered, a lazy smile settled on her face as she went to open her door. Undoing the locks she turned the door knob and stared before her.

"Morning Naruto" Jin said with a grin

"Good morning Jin-chan…" he replied, eyes half close, one arm hanging limply at his side, the other holding her jacket from last night. The little blond was half asleep, but dressed for the day, his outfit tied together with an odd pair of goggles on his head. Jin opened the door wide for him, nodding her head towards the inside of her apartment, motioning for him to enter.

"Thanks" he managed through a yawn. He stepped inside, slipping his sandals off, while Jin closed the door and took yesterday's jacket off his hands. Catching a whiff of what was cooking, he perked up, becoming a bit more alert and awake. "Something smells great!"

"You made it just in time, breakfast is almost ready. Why don't you take a seat at the counter, I'll dish us out some food" Jin pointed to the island counter in the middle of her kitchen that had four tall chairs on either sides of the long ends. Jin made her way over to the stove, turning the contents of the pan one more time before turning the fire off. She grabbed two bowls off the dish rack, piling food into them. "What would you like to drink Naruto? Water, juice, milk, tea?" she asked, placing the bowls down, one in front of Naruto, and one across from him, where she would be sitting. "Milk please!" was his reply "My, my, a kid who actually chooses to drink milk? I've seen it all" _this kid really is something_ Jin thought to herself, pouring him a glass of milk. She placed it next to his bowl. Grabbing her mug of tea she took her seat across from him.

"Wow Jin-chan, you really know how to do it!" Naruto stared down at his bowl filled with stir fried noodles, eggs, and vegetables

"Wait till you taste it! Now let's eat up" Jin stated with a grin, as the pair picked up their chopsticks and began. Jin nearly laughed out loud at the sight of Naruto shoveling noodles into his mouth, between mouthfuls he managed to ask,

"so Jin-chan, what's it like working at the hokage tower?"

"eh, not as exciting as you think. I spend most of my time filing mission reports, keeping track of documents, running errands around town, boring stuff like that…although I do get to see a lot of ninja and hear some awesome stories"

"Awesome stories?! Like what! Like what!? Tell me one!" Naruto shouted

"ahahahaha okay, just settle down and eat, let me think" taking a bite of her meal she came up with one.

"Hmm…ok, I got one. I once heard a story about a ninja from our village who was out on an important and dangerous mission. During the mission, I'm not exactly sure about the details, but anyway, this ninja had a jutsu so powerful it allowed him to cut a bolt of lightning in half before it hit the ground. His power and quick thinking saved his squad" Jin finished, taking a sip of her tea. Naruto sat there wide eyed listening to her tale while shoving heaping amounts of noodles into his mouth.

"Wow! Who was the ninja?"

"I think it was Takeshi or something like that, I really can't remember. Sorry Naruto" she gave him an apologetic smile focusing on eating after glancing at the clock. "Anyway, yeah, my job has its perks"

Naruto places his empty bowl in front of him and drank some of his milk, while Jin hustled down her noodles.

"How are you looking on time Naruto? I can walk you to school if you like, it's on my way to work"

"I got some time, I don't have to be there for another 20 minutes "The academy was a couple minutes' walk from their apartment complex

"Alright, give me 10 minutes to get ready then we'll go" Jin stood up and placed the dishes in the sink, she'd get to them when she got home tonight. Heading to her room and shutting the door behind her she changed into a brown pencil skirt and a pretty black blouse, then threw on some quick makeup, eye liner, mascara, blush, and tinted lip balm. She then put her hair up into a neat chignon at the nape of neck.

Stepping out of her room, she took in the sight before her:

Naruto had dragged a chair across the kitchen towards the sink, standing about the sink, he was drying the last of the now clean dishes with a dish towel. "Naruto what in the world do you think you're doing, you didn't have to do that!" she exclaimed, surprised

"I wanted to help you out!" Naruto stated with a wide proud grin on his face. _What a precious little knuckle head…_ she though "thank you Naruto, you are too sweet. Let's get going, you don't want to be late" she stated walking over to him and giving his hair a ruffle.

Grabbing both bento boxes, she handed Naruto one, they grabbed their belongings for the day and made their way out the door, Jin stopping only to lock the locks. The pair continued out of the building and on to the streets making their way to the academy. Instinctively, without thinking Jin stuck out her hand for Naruto to hold, like they were doing last night, to which Naruto hesitated at first, but then slipped his small hand into hers, as the pair continued to walk. He was not use to physical contact, besides getting pushed out of stores, or the occasional hug from the Hokage if he happened to catch him crying on a visit, or the one hug he was promised each year on his birthday from the old man. He had to admit, holding Jins hand last night was nice, it made him feel…safe. Naruto came to the conclusion, that while it was a new feeling it was a nice one, and he would enjoy it while it lasts. Even if it was just for today and tomorrow. _After I get my money would still invite me over? What if she doesn't want to see me anymore? You'd be right where you were before Naruto_ he thought to himself.

"You're so quiet, what are you thinking about?" Jin asked Naruto

"oh. Ahh, nothing…Just…the clone jutsu test…what if I don't pass it?"

"Then you practice harder, and try again next time. As long as you don't give up, remember? Plus, this isn't your final examination, just a routine test to see how you're doing. So try your best, and then work from there." Jin explained, as the pair made their way to the front of the academy. Children stood about the academy grounds, saying good bye to their parents or whoever else had walked them to school, and ran into the academy. Jin heard Naruto exhale next to her

"I guess I better go in" he stated with a bright wide grin that Jin could tell was a ruse to cover some feeling she couldn't quite place. Naruto stood in front of her, then looked down at his feet. "What is it Naruto?" he then glanced to his right side, watching a boy his age hug what appeared to be his older sister "bye bye nii-chan" the boy yelled running into the building while his sister yelled out "good luck" then left when she lost sight of him.

Suddenly, Naruto looked back at her _Does he want me to hug him?_ Jin questioned herself. Trying to not make it any more awkward than it already was for the kid in front of her, she dropped to one knee in front of him

"Okay, now you march in there do the best you can!" Jin exclaimed pulling Naruto into a tight hug. Naruto was stunned for a moment _This is probably the second person to hug me ever…besides old man hokage_ Naruto thought to himself in that moment, breaking himself out of his trance, he laced his little arms around Jin's neck returning the hug. He let go when Jin did

"Have a good day now" Jin stated, standing up, she gave his hair a ruffle. "Go on before you're late!" she encouraged him shooing him away with her hands and a smile. Naruto snapped out of it, a large smile broke out on his face as he turned around and ran for the academy, Bento in hand, waving and yelling goodbye to Jin, and that he would see her tonight. Little did the pair know, a certain Chunin instructor watched the entire scene from a class room window.

Jin stood by until he was out of sight. _Shit, if I keep dawdling I'll end up being late for work!_ She realized, breaking herself out of her thoughts, she began quickly walking towards the Hokage tower.

 **Thank you, everyone who has taken an interest in this story thus far. I really was not expecting so many followers and favorites, it was a pleasant surprise! I hope you continue to enjoy, and I will try my best to not have you all waiting on chapters too long. I have a general idea of where I'm going with this this, but it takes time to edit and all that jazz to give you the best possible story. Also, I look forward to see what you think, so please continue to review, or feel free to message me with any questions or suggestions. I look forward to the journey we are about to embark upon together!**

 **P.S. While I would love to reply to your reviews, I can only do so if you post them while signed into an account (reviewing as a guest does not give me the option to contact you)**


	3. Chapter 3

Sometime later Jin found herself inside the Hokage tower. As she made her way to her work station she greeted familiar faces while contemplating her tasks for the day.

"Morning Jin" "Morning Aoba!" _Mission reports to file_

"Ohaiyo"a cool voice called out"Ohaiyo!"Jin smiled at Genma and gave a slight wave _office briefing with the boss_

"Morning Haruna…" "Good morning Anko _"_ Jin smiled at the woman _, balance the bills for the tower-_

Wrapping up her mental list of work for the day she made it to her office, but her thoughts were halted by a familiar figure at her desk. Stopping in her tracks, she took in the sight before her. The man was dressed in the usual ninja garb, navy blue pants, long sleeve shirt, with Konoha's signature green shinobi vest. The one thing that set this particular ninja apart from the rest was the ever present cigarette which loosely hung from his slightly parted lips. "Sarutobi, Asuma…" Jin mumbled.

Jin grumbled under her breath as she approach the man, who was actively napping at her desk, comfortably reclined in her chair, with his feet propped up next to a fresh stack of work that need to be done, by her. The clicking of her heels did nothing to stir the man from his slumber, making Jin slightly agitated. Weren't ninja supposed to be hyper aware of their surroundings? With one swift motion she plucked the lit cigarette from his lips and held the burning end against his forehead protector. Within seconds, Asuma's eyes flew open, one hand quickly swatted Jins hand away, while the other ripped off his now hot forehead protector.

"What the hell Haruna?!" Asuma exclaimed, while pulling his feet off the desk and fanning his fore head with his hand. Jin smirked while trying to hold in her laughter. Crossing her arms, she took a seat on the edge of her desk facing him.

"I would hate to have my station smelling like an ash tray Sarutobi. How many times am I going to have to tell you smoking is bad for you? B. A. D. Bad!" she enunciated, playfully wagging her finger at him "anyway, for what reason have you graced me with your presence?" Jin asked as she shooed Asuma out of her chair with her hands. They both swapped places, Jin taking a seat in her chair as Asuma sat on the edge of her desk.

"I've got to give the old man a mission report and had some time to kill before the briefing. Thought I'd come give my favorite secretary a visit." Asuma responded with a playful lazy smirk

"Ah! Right, how did that go?" Jin asked inquiringly

"Smooth enough, one minor injury to a less experienced chunin on the squad… besides that, mission accomplished." Asuma replied, placing a new cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

"I'm glad everything went well" Jin said sincerely. She cared about Asuma greatly. She knew him from before leaving the village, and was one of the first people she was reacquainted with after coming back to the village. Since then he had become one of her closes friends.

"Thanks" Asuma said, taking a drag of his cigarette, holding the smoke in his lungs for a moment before exhaling. "Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to go out Friday night. A couple of us from the team are going to have some drinks to celebrate the mission's success. How about it?" Asuma asked

Since coming back to the village, and being reacquainted, Asuma, the laid back nin uncharacteristically made it his duty to get Jin out of her house once in a while. He never pushed her on it though. She thought about it for a minute, contemplating her options. She could spend the night curled up in bed with a book in solitude…or have a night socializing. Weighting both options, Jin decided going out for a couple hours on Friday couldn't hurt, and would actually be good for her mental health.

"Sounds like a plan Sarutobi" Jin replied with a smile.

"Good…meet at the bar, or should I pick you up?" Asuma asked

"Nah, you don't have to do that, I'll meet you at the bar"

"It's a date then" Asuma replied casually with a lazy smile

"ooh, don't let Kurenai hear you say that" Jin teased him playfully with a wink. She was the only person to pick up on his interest in the kunoichi, even though Asuma has yet to admit the fact to her

"Whatever Haruna" Asuma said as a barely noticeable pink blush spread across his cheeks "I'll see you around" he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed himself off her desk from his sitting position.

"see you Asuma" Jin replied as she gave the hand on her shoulder a pat with her hand, then Asuma turned and left.

Sighing, Jin turned to the stack of papers before her, and began sorting them

* * *

"Alright class, you're dismissed for lunch, be back in an hour" Iruka Umino announces to his class. A number of cheers broke out as students gathered their things and rushed for the door. Iruka sat at his desk waiting for his class to clear out of the room when his eyes fell upon his hyperactive knucklehead of a student, Naruto Uzumaki. Iruka watched the boy, or rather was gazing at what he held in his hand: a homemade bento box. From what Iruka could remember, Naruto's lunch usually consisted of something store bought, a sloppy sandwich that Naruto obviously threw together himself, or cup ramen; Iruka had cleared it with the rest of the staff to let Naruto use the electric kettle in the teachers' lounge so long as Iruka was there when he use it.

Naruto bounced out of the room with the other students. Making his way outside, the young blond spotted some of his classmates grouped together near the fencing of the school settling to eat their lunch.

"Hey guys! Is it okay if I eat lunch with you today?" Naruto asked

"Get out of here you loser, you can't hang out with us. "One boy stated, glaring at the blond

"I have a really awesome lunch! Maybe we can share it? Together?" Naruto tried again

"Are you deaf or just stupid? You can't hang out with us!" another boy exclaimed

"…why can't I?" Naruto asked, his confidence deflating like a balloon

"Because no one likes you, weirdo! Get away from us" the same boy who seemed to be the leader of the group yelled, getting the attention of other students. Eyes from all around turned to watch the scene. Naruto looked up to see his other classmates staring at him while Boys from the group threw on their own jars along the lines of "get away from us" "idiot" "Stupid" "Leave!"

Naruto stood there crushed as a prickly feeling developed in his throat. Unaware to the students, one of the many eyes watching the scene was Iruka. Iruka was two seconds from breaking up the scene, when Naruto spoke

"Heh, maybe next time" he said quietly, his voice cracking as he turned and quickly walked away with tears threatened to spill from his eyes. One of the boys responded with a final jar by saying "yeah right, don't bother weirdo!"

 _Why are they so mean to me…what did I ever do to them!_ Naruto thought, glaring at the ground _I'm just a stupid dumb idiot. Maybe if I weren't so stupid they would play with me….and let me eat with them…_ Naruto grumbled to himself, finally letting the tears flow down his cheeks, now that no one could see him cry.

A few minutes of walking later, Naruto found himself a ways off from the school, on a secluded bench, quietly eating his lunch. The tears from the embarrassment had stopped, but the wet spots on his shirt remained. He spotted a figure coming down the trail towards him. It was Iruka sensei.

"Naruto, fancy seeing you here"

"What are you doing here Iruka sensei?" Naruto ask, his voice a little husky from silently crying. Iruka noticed immediately. He had seen the whole thing play out, but he would keep that to himself. He didn't want Naruto to feel embarrassed.

"Oh nothing, just here to have my lunch. Since you're here already maybe we can eat together? What do you say?" Iruka asked

"I don't care…" Naruto said glumly, staring down at the Bento Jin packed for him. The food was barely eaten as he had just gotten started. Iruka seated himself on the bench, and unwrapped his own bento from its carrying cloth. _Time to get some information…_ Iruka thought to himself

"Say, that looks really good Naruto. Where did you get it?" Iruka asked

"The bento? My neighbor made it for me"

"Your Neighbor?"

"Yeah, her name is Jin. She's really nice! She bought me ramen last night, made me breakfast, and made me this bento for lunch!" Naruto said, slowly coming out of his grey mood.

"Really? That's very kind of her" Iruka said. Gears were turning in Iruka's head. What could this woman be up to? What does she want with Naruto, what could her motive be? She looked normal enough when Iruka saw her this morning dropping Naruto off to school. Where did she come from? Iruka didn't think he's seen her around before. _Because of the fox, a threat to Naruto is a threat to the village_. _I'll have to bring this up to the Hokage. This Jin woman is suspicious._ Iruka thought to himself _._

"Your bento looks really good Iruka sensei" Naruto stated eying Iruka's shrimp

"So does yours Naruto." Iruka moved his bento towards Naruto "you're welcome to try some of mine"

"I was waiting for you to offer!" Naruto exclaimed with a smile raising his chopsticks in the air. "I'll trade you a sausage for a shrimp" Naruto offered

Iruka chuckled, "Deal" he replied. Naruto placed the little sausage than Jin somehow cut up to look like an octopus into Iruka's Bento, then picked up one of the tempura shrimp. Iruka and Naruto held their traded Items in their chopsticks the knocked them together while pronouncing a playful 'cheers', then taking a bite. After a few seconds, both males moaned out a "Delicious!" then continued to enjoy their lunch in each other's company, Iruka keeping in mind the matter he would bring up with the Hokage; this odd Jin woman, who seems to have taken an interest in Naruto. What motive could she possibly have?

* * *

It was almost the end of the day and Jin was on her way to the Hokage's office to drop off some documents before she left to head home. Holding the folder to her chest, she knocked on the Hokage's door and waited for a reply. Seconds later she heard some shuffling, then

"Enter" from the old man's gravelly voice. Walking into the room, Jin smiled at the Hokage to which he returned

"Hokage-sama, how are you doing today?"

"Well enough Haruna-san. What do you have for me?" the Hokage asked

"Some mission requests from a neighboring village. All simple stuff, nothing higher than a C rank, they only need your stamp of approval now" Jin casually explained as she handed him the folder

"Ah, alright, thank you. Are you leaving for the day?" the Hokage asked

"Yes, I was sir, unless you need me for something else?" _Please don't need me for something else, I wanna go home old man!_

"Not at all, have-"the Hokage was interrupted by a knock on his door, sighing he told the person to enter. The door opened to reveal a man wearing the usual ninja garb, hair tied up in a ponytail, and he had a scar across the bridge of his nose. The man looked around Jins age. His eyes fell on the Hokage, then he locked eyes with Jin. His eyes widened for some unknown reason.

 _Thats the Jin woman! What is she doing here?_ Iruka thought to himself

"Iruka, what is it?" the old man asked

 _Iruka? Where have I heard that name before…_ Jin thought to herself. Her mind wandered back to the day before at the ramen bar… _I guess I can ask Iruka sensei for help…but that will have to wait! Ramen's here!_ Naruto's voice rang in her head reminding her why the name seemed familiar. Before she could stop herself she blurted out

"You're Iruka? Naruto's sensei?" Jin questioned with raised eyebrows. Both the Hokage and Iruka turned to stare at her.

"Yes I am" Iruka said curtly "Hokage-sama I'd like to speak to you about a matter…privately" he ended his statement by glancing at Jin.

"Oh...I guess I'll take my leave! Wait, that is if you don't need me anymore Hokage-sama" Jin sped through her sentence feeling awkward under Iruka's gaze.

"You are free to go. Get home safe Haruna-san." The Hokage stated, his usual good bye statement to her.

"Alright, have a good night Hokage-sama, Iruka-san" she stated before exiting the room, closing the door behind her and making her way down the hall. _What the hell was that? Why was he staring at me like I did something?_ Jin wondered grabbing her things and making her exit from the building.

* * *

"So you think she might be up to something?" The Hokage stated, completely amused, but he didn't let it show, keeping on a serious persona.

"She's taken an interest in Naruto, from what he's told me she's been very nice to him… I don't know what she's up to, but I believe she's trying to get his trust for some reason" Iruka stated, with a serious expression on his face. The Hokage let out a hearty laugh, unable to hold it in anymore. Sarutobi has known Jin for all her life. He knew her parents, worked with her father, and even gave her parents a gift when she was born. He trusted her late father with his life, and above all Hiruzen trusted her. Enough to work with classified documents at the tower.

"Iruka, that girl is harmless. It warms my heart to see how concerned you are for Naruto's wellbeing. You say she's been feeding him?"

"Yes sir, Naruto explained to me that he lost his monthly money, so she bought him dinner, then made him breakfast and lunch today. She's his neighbor, although the first time they met was yesterday. Why haven't I seen her before Hokage-sama?"

"That is very interesting indeed…Haruna-san has only been back in the village for about six months now. After the fox attack, she went to live with her grandparents in the country side. I can assure you Iruka that Naruto is in no danger from that woman, although I am interested in their new…friendship. I think it may be beneficial to the boy." Hiruzen contemplated "tomorrow during the Academy's lunch break I want you to bring him to my office. I'd like to have a meeting with him and ."

"O-of course sir." Iruka stammered caught off guard by the strange turn of events

"Any other concerned Iruka?"

"No, that is all Hokage-sama"

"Alright then, have a good evening" Hiruzen stated. Iruka bowed and took his leave.

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and took a puff of his pipe. Gears began to turn in the old man's head

 _Their friendship may work out in the favor of both of them. I think I have a proposition for Jin if she has in fact taken a liking to the boy…_

* * *

 **Sorry for taking so long to update everyone! Life got in the way of things, but I've got my motivation for this story back, and I'm more assured with where I am going with it now. This chapter didn't include any interaction with Naruto and Jin, wanted to introduce more characters, and set the foundation for some relationships besides the main sister/brother relationship between the two main characters. Next chapter we're going to shake things up a bit. Stay tuned! I promise you won't have to wait months for the next update. Feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or suggestions, I welcome them with open arms! Thank you so much for taking the time to read! xx**


	4. Chapter 4

The following day Hiruzen sat at his desk awaiting Iruka who should have Naruto in tow. Taking in a drawn out pull from his pipe, the Hokage thought about the proposition he would soon present to Jin and Naruto. He was broken out of his thoughts by a familiar knock on this door.

"You may enter Haruna-san"

Jin opened the door entering the office and greeting the Hokage with a smile. "Sir" Jin stated with a bow "Here are the finalized logistics for the scroll retrieval mission. Shikaku Nara-san would like to go through with the discussion of putting together an appropriate team at your convenience." She stated formally as she held out the folder to him. He took the folder and placed it on the side of his desk as he instructed her, "Thank you Haruna-San. Please schedule a meeting for us sometime within the next 3 days".

"Very well sir, I'll look over your schedule and set it for the soonest available time" Jin stated with another small bow and turned to leave. "Just a moment Haruna-san. There is something I would like to discuss with you. Please, have a seat" the Hokage stated offering her the seat at the desk across from him. The formality of the Hokage's tone sent an uneasy shiver down Jin's spine as her mind immediately thought of the worse,

 _SHIT! Did I mess something up? What else would he have to speak to me about? Jin you idiot, am I about to get fired? I'M ABOUT TO GET FIRED, LOOK HOW SERIOUS HE LOOKS, I- "_ Haruna-san I can see the panic in your eyes. You're not in any trouble *chuckle*. But it is important, what I need to speak to you about"

Jins cheeks flushed pink, slightly embarrassed by her over reaction in front of the Hokage. "hehe, sorry sir…" she said, taking a seat while folding her hands in her lap and crossing her ankles, sitting rim rod straight like a student whose been called to the principal's office. "…what would you like to discuss?" Jin asked the old man while he paused for a moment to contemplate his exact words. The silence in the room was stifling although she was very much relieved that she wasn't in trouble. The old man cleared his throat, then started off with a question.

"The child who lives in you building complex, Naruto. You two have recently become acquainted correct? Tell me, what are your thoughts on him?" Hiruzen's eyes focused on Jin's reaction to the mention of Naruto, noting that she seemed surprised and confused by the question.

"Naruto? That's who this is about? Ah, well…let me see…we met a couple days ago after he ran into me. Literally, ran into me. He'd lost his money so he stole a rice ball from a woman's store. She had been chasing him when we bumped each other. After clearing up the situation, I took him for dinner at Ichiraku's. while walking him home we learned we were actually neighbors, he lives right above me. It's a wonder that we haven't ran into each other in the 6 months that I've been back…anyway, I offered to help him out with food until he gets his allowance. As for what I think of him…heh, I think he's a pretty spectacular kid. He's really sweet and funny. I see so much potential in him, although I don't think he feels the same way about himself. His goal, is to become Hokage like you sir" Jin stated with a chuckle, to which Hiruzen replied with a slight smile and a hum. After hearing her explanation, he felt much more confident with what he was about to propose.

"Jin, I have an offer to make to you. But before that, you deserve to know what you would be getting into if you were to accept. Now what I am about to tell you shall not leave this room. I am by law, forbidden to share the following information with you, but if you are to take on this task, you must know…Naruto Uzumaki isn't like other children. You recall the incident with the great demon fox 8 years ago of course." At the mention of kyuubi, Jins hands clenched her skirt, the soft material encased in her fists and subconscious fear ran through her nerves. The Hokage continued "In order to stop the rampage, the demon had to be sealed into a vessel. The fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze had no choice but to seal the fox into a new born infant to save the village. That infant was Naruto. Naruto is the Jinchuriki of the nine-tailed fox."

Jins jaw dropped, leaving her mouth slightly ajar. _No way…but Naruto is just a regular kid…there's no way_ Jin thought as the hokage continued, "The boy's parents died in the rampage, leaving him an orphan. Although it is forbidden to speak of it, those who know about Naruto's nature treat him as an outcast, as though he is the incarnate of the demon himself. So far, he's lived quite a lonely life. I try to do what I can to ease the strain of the burden on him, but as much as I would want, I cannot change the feelings of the villagers." The Hokage paused for a moment as Jins thoughts flashed back to moments of the last few days

The store woman, the horrible names she called him, how she was ready to strike him, the hate in her eyes.

The way Naruto spoke of Ichiraku-sans kindness towards him, as though it were a gift and not common civil behavior

The look on his face as he explained to her the night before, what had happened with the other kids during lunch, as though their actions toward him was something he was completely use to and expected although he didn't know why. She also recalled the blinding anger she felt towards those children, that they could be so mean to him.

The way he's held her hand throughout the short time they've known each other, like if he loosened his grip in the slightest, she would slip through is fingers like smoke, leaving him alone yet again.

Jins heart clenched in her chest as sadness and a new understanding of the child's life settled over her. Her brows pinched together as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She was pulled back to the current moment, by Hiruzen's voice "this is where I would like you to come in, if you decide to take the offer that is." Jin straighten up again, ready to listen to what the Hokage was about to say. "I believe it would do Naruto some good have a guardian in a sense. Naruto's teacher Iruka was here yesterday evening as you are aware of. According to him, the boy had many kind things to say about you, and in the short time you two have known each other, it is fair to say he has become quite fond of you. To put it simply, the position requires that you guide and watch over his wellbeing. Tell me Jin, after learning of his true nature, has your opinion about him changed?" Hiruzen asked watching her diligently.

Jin brought her finger to her lips in a guarded position before stammering out "I…I don't-…I have some questions first, Hokage-sama…"

"Very well." He replied, expecting this. "You said his parents died during the attack…who were they? Did I know them?" she asked. "whether you did or not, I cannot say. For his safety, that piece of information has also been withheld from everyone beside myself and a select few others. If Naruto's lineage were revealed, it may present security risks for the village. Perhaps when he is older. For now I apologize, I cannot reveal that information."

"ok…does the fox…affect him in anyway?" she asked cautiously "presently, not in any way that we are aware of. The child is not even aware of what resides within him. I would like to keep it that way for as long as possible." Jin breathed in a deep breath preparing to ask her final question

"I have one more question sir. I hope I'm not out of line in asking this…From studying the history of the 5 great nations, I know that the tailed beasts are a source of power for the villages they reside in. their presence in a village balances the power between the nations, and they exist to increase the military strength of the nation. I guess what I want to ask is this…is Naruto's existence soley for the military strength of the village?" Jin asked him directly without breaking eye contact. The question caught Hiruzen off guard. He could always tell She was a smart, sharp young woman, but her question revealed to him the depth of her intellegence, impressing him greatly.

"Why is that information important to you?" the Hokage asked carefully. He observed a fierce passionate look come over her pretty features as her unwavering voice spoke with severe protectiveness;

"If Naruto's purpose is to become nothing but a weapon for the village, I want no part of it. As I said before, he has so much potential, he has so much to offer this village besides physical power. If his existence is just to be a tool for war…I refuse to be involved. He is so much more than that! -"as the volume in her voice began to rise, Hiruzen quickly stopped her with a motion of his hand. Jin immediately fell silent upon realizing she was seconds away from a surprising outburst.

Again, an embarrassed blush began to spread across her cheeks, while Hiruzen took another puff from his pipe…then, a wide closed lip smile graced his face. In that short moment, he could see the affection Jin had for the child and the surprising protectiveness at the thought of anyone using him. _She's the one_ , he thought to himself. He leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed before calmly saying "Haruna-San. I don't think I could have picked a better person for the job". Jin gave a sigh of relief that he wasn't upset at her outburst. "heh, well before I can decide, I would need to know exactly what is required of me sir"

Jin and Hiruzen spent the next 15 minutes talking about the specifics of what he wanted for Naruto. "Hokage-sama…I've made my decision." Hiruzen waited calmly, hiding his secret anticipation of her reply. Finally, she responded to the offer,

"I refuse to take this on as a job."

The Hokage's features faltered, "Haruna-san, I urge you to reconsider, I-"

Jin uncharacteristically cut him off mid-sentence "Sir, please, I'm not finished…I refuse to take this on as a Job. Your offer is something I'm willing to do for Naruto just because…well, because it is the right thing to do, not because I'd be obligated to do it. Honestly, I've really enjoyed having him around these past few days. He's a good kid. I'm honored you thought I would be a good person to be a guardian for him. I will take him under my wing. But not as a job. He needs to know that I am doing this because I want to, not because he was assigned to me by you." Jin bowed in her seat.

Hiruzen was relieved, pleased and impressed all at the same time. "You had me worried there for a moment, Jin" Jin chuckled and replied "I'm sorry sir, but the condition that its voluntary is important. Any bond formed with him under the conditions of obligation would taint the relationship in my opinion. I guess I have a little brother now huh?" She stated with a wide grin.

"I do have a couple more…conditions. I would like both of us to continue to have our own apartments, considering they're both one bedrooms and they are right on top of eachother. This way he can still have his own room and privacy since, well he is a boy and isn't going to stay 8 forever. Secondly, after what is taken out to pay his rent, I would appreciate if half of his allowance be put into a savings account that he will be able to access once he comes of age. The rest can be given to him as pocket money. Food and clothes can be covered by me, Lastly, I refuse to take any payment for this, for the same reason I refuse to take this on as an official job." She stated with unwavering adamancy in her voice.

The old Hokage felt a pang run through his heart as he observed the young woman in front of him, she reminded him so much of her parents. Hiruzen felt lucky and proud to have Jin working for him. And in that moment, he felt the seed of a fatherly affection budding in his heart for her.

Hiruzen kept his voice formal, "I agree with your conditions." "Then, I officially accept." Jin stated with a slight smile and a strong voice.

* * *

 **I apologize 1000x times for not updating this story in so long! I promise that I haven't abandon it. life got in the way (graduating college, internships, personal things, and a serious case of writers block). I will try my very best to update more frequently. Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave any comments and suggestions, I welcome them with open arms! xx**


End file.
